Description

This letter is in regards to finding that an unfinished version of my book “Hallways” was published without my knowledge or consent by Book Leaf Publishing Company (Libresco Feeds). I had participated in a poetry writing contest with them in February of 2025 (2/2/25) with the understanding that once completed I would be contacted in regards to editing and approving the final copy prior to publishing my book. I had numerous issues with them prior to them stealing my book such as poor communication and very unclear guidelines and policy changes after I had already paid and started the poetry contest. I have many emails and text communications to show these issues as well. I was told I would be notified “every step of the way” and was not contacted until after I found out that my book had been published without me seeing it or approving it. Bookleaf published my book on their site and on Amazon in India. Immediately after they had done this they had locked me out of my account with them and said I would have to pay them a fee to access my book and see what in fact they had published. It was at this time on 5/14/25 that I really realized I had been scammed and asked that they take down my book from all the places they had it listed without my consent. I sent a formal written request to them via email, What’s app, and on social media as they were extremely difficult to communicate with. To make this even worse I had to purchase a copy of my own book because they said they no longer offer a copy to the author as they had advertised for this poetry challenge when I had signed up with them. When I saw what they published they had also made changes to my work without my knowledge or consent. I actually bought the ebook version of "Hallways" from their site since they intentionally locked me out of my account so I could not see what they had done. They said I had to pay them to open up my account and have access to my work! After sending numerous requests to delist my book and terminate working with them they responded to me on 5/14/25 that they were delisting my book from all platforms. I had checked and after some time it had seemed to be off Amazon in India and also on their Book Leaf site. I had checked my link to the ebook I bought of my own work and this was no longer working either. on 5/17/25 I emailed them stating I wanted to be contacted as they remove my book from all platforms and I inquired about a refund. They stopped responding to my emails and I had no other way to contact them so I opened a case with Paypal which I won because Book Leaf stopped responding to them as well. On 11/1/25 I published my finished edition of "Hallways" and found that it was listed for sale on US Amazon and Barnes and Noble alongside the edition I had just published. What is even crazier is not only did they not delist what they had started to post they published my stolen book a whole mth after my email from them stating it would be delisted (book was published by them 6/18/25 and email stated it would be delisted from all sites on 5/17/25.) I had contacted Book Leaf stated that they would have it removed from all platforms however when I inquire for an update I am told that a “specialized team” is handling the matter and when I asked how to contact that "team" they told me it was against their policy to provide me with that information. I had contacted a lawyer online who instructed me to file my book with the US Copyright Office (which I did) and send a cease and desist to Book Leaf via email and certified mail which I did on 11/5/25. I contact them every day and I get the same copy and paste response. Later, on 11/5/25, when searching the ISBN, copies of the book were also found to be listed internationally on Amazon in Ireland/United Kingdom, Germany, UAE, Japan, and possibly others. This of course is horribly distressing and I had no faith that Book Leaf would respond so I began contacting each and every site my book was listed by them for sale. I have successfuly had it removed by Barnes and Noble, Amazon in the US, Abe Books and Ebay. There is a very very long list of other retailers I have contacted both in the US and all over the world requesting they remove this listing as for sale. I am trying not to feel helpless and since I have posted about my situation many other people have reached out to me with the same kind of issues and there are many horror stories on the internet.